City Government

Op-Ed: Tell Oakland City Council: This is an Emergency; Stop Evictions and Rent Increases

Published

10 years ago

February 26, 2016

Oakland Post

Dr. Kitty Kelly Epstein

By Kitty Kelly Epstein

There is an emergency in Oakland. The policies that prevail in Oakland City Hall are going to drive most of us out of Oakland, unless we stand up.

The land, the resources, the tax money and the city staff time that belong to Oakland residents are being spent almost entirely on developments to house wealthy non-Oaklanders in buildings that none of our current residents can afford to live in.

The emergency is clear from a city report: “Oakland’s market rate rents are well above what is affordable to the typical Oakland renter.”

A majority, 60 percent, of Oakland residents are renters.

The city’s document goes further. The rental rate for a typical 2-bedroom apartment increased 40 percent in one year to $2,950.

A resident earning the Oakland minimum wage would have to work 185 hours a week to afford that apartment.

The actual rent that the typical Oakland resident can afford is $700 a month. There are no rentals in that price range.

The answers proposed by elected officials are ridiculously inadequate.

The city is now talking about maybe, possibly, building a small amount of affordable housing. It’s too little, too late.

Even if the city carried out any of the tiny number of affordable projects they have mentioned, by the time they are built, most of those individuals who need such housing would be gone from the city or joining the homeless on the street.

Meanwhile, the city is continuing to give public land that belongs to all of us to private developers to build even more units that none of us can afford to live in.

We are the city of the Black Panthers, of labor organizing and the longshore union (ILWU) that strikes against apartheid. We are the city of Barbara Lee and her historic stand against war.

We are the city whose residents said we valued diversity more than anything else as the Continued from page 1 reason we live here.

And some of our residents, led by Alliance of California for Community Empowerment (ACCE) and Causa Justa: Just Cause, have bravely stopped people from being evicted from their homes.

Most recently, East Lake United for Justice stopped the City Council from giving away another prime piece of public land to wealthy, for-profit developers.

Time Magazine said we “stole Wall Street’s mojo” during the Occupy movement. Those of us who are not yet involved in the housing movement need to get our mojo back or we’ll all be driving in from Antioch for a nostalgic glimpse of our lake.

We need drastic action from the City Council to declare a state of emergency and a moratorium on evictions and rent increases, until city officials can work out exactly how they will correct the situation so that we are to be able to stay in our homes in our beautiful city.

For a copy of the City of Oakland report, “Citywide Rental Survey,” go to http:// www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/ceda/documents/ report/oak056016.pdf

If you want to get involved, email housingmojo@gmail. com

Kitty Kelly Epstein is a professor and Oakland resident. She hosts Education Today on KPFA 94.1 and authored the book, “Organizing to Change a City” (2012), Peter Lang.

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Activism

Life Expectancy in Marin City, a Black Community, Is 15-17 Years Less than the Rest of Marin County

“Marin City residents have been fighting for years just to stay here. Residents live with the fear of being forced out, public housing torn down and rebuilt for the wealthy. Due to ongoing issues continually being ignored, residents feel they must be empowered to make their own decisions for the future survival and protection of their community,” said Terrie Green, a lifelong resident and executive director of Marin City Climate Resilience (MCCR).

Published

5 days ago

February 3, 2026

Oakland Post

Marin City community leaders (l.-r.): Terrie Green, executive director of Marin City Climate Resilience (MCCR); Wambua Musyoki, Stanford University; Khamil Callahan, Santa Rosa Junior College; Serenity Allen, Xavier University; and Chinaka Green, MCCR associate director.

By Ken Epstein

People may be aware of the existence of Marin City and know a little about its history as a center of U.S. resistance to fascism in the World War II. But fewer know of the community’s ongoing struggles to survive potential displacement while facing severe toxic health and environmental conditions on a daily basis.

These conditions cause chronic disease and premature death, dramatically shown in the sharp difference in life expectancy between Black and white people living in households only a few miles apart.

A historically African American enclave, Marin City, occupies a 0.5-square mile area between Mill Valley and Sausalito with its own freeway exit near the Golden Gate Bridge. In contrast, the rest of Marin County rates among the healthiest, wealthiest, and most environmentally friendly counties in the country. However, it is one of the least racially equitable counties in California, with Black residents being the most impacted, according to the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization,.

The community owes its continued existence to the World War II generation that came to the Bay Area from the South to work in the shipyards and to the resiliency of its residents. Despite often facing discriminatory practices, such as redlining and a segregated school district, Marin City residents have continually created a strong community rich in culture, spirituality, and community values.

The current statistics are brutal. At present, Marin City residents face more than a 17-year difference in life expectancy compared to neighboring cities and towns. Contributing to these conditions are a lack of investment in public housing and infrastructure: unsafe drinking water, air pollution caused by proximity to the U.S. 101 freeway, unsanitary stormwater drainage that produces mold and mildew, as well as old and broken lead pipes and sewage in homes.

As an unincorporated community, Marin City residents must rely primarily on the elected Marin County Board of Supervisors, Department of Public Works, Transportation Authority of Marin and Caltrans for the decisions and investments that impact their lives.

MCCR’s focus is on environmental justice. Its purpose is to empower and advocate for individuals to embrace sustainable living, envision a future free of environmental harm and collectively work towards a better Marin City. MCCR’s motto is “Forever Marin City.”

MCCR has created a unique team of Marin City Youth Environmentalists who have studied and researched environmental issues impacting the health of the community.

Serenity Allen is an MCCR Youth Coordinator/Young Environmentalist studying to be a medical social worker at Xavier University. She has been working in the community for six years. “I strongly believe that where you live should not determine how long you are able to live,” she said.

Allen referred to the work done by former Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis, who stated that Marin City has a 17-year life expectancy difference between residents of Marin City (77 years) and more affluent areas like Ross (94 years).

“The research shows this gap is heavily correlated with race and socioeconomic status. Sausalito, which is not even two miles outside of Marin City, has a life expectancy of 92 years,” Allen said.

“Many elements contribute to this gap,” she said. “A major factor may be the 12 acres of toxic flood waters that pour down off the highway into low-lying Marin City.

In addition, “We do not have a barrier wall protecting us along our highway; the rest of Marin County has 16 barrier walls to protect from noise and air pollution. Marin City has been fighting for a barrier wall since 2008,” she said.

Octavien Green, an MCCR high school environmentalist, spoke about the impact of the absence of recreational facilities on health and wellness, particularly for youth.

“Lack of investment in our recreational facilities means we have fewer spaces and opportunities for physical activity, which contribute to serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes, weak bones and low energy, especially for kids. We are presently involved in an ongoing struggle just to rebuild a sports ball field for the community that’s been unusable for the last 15 years.”

“Marin City is the center of Black culture for all of Marin County,” said Green. “Historically, though, the county has not invested in the community, and you see it in the life expectancy, the highest chronic disease and disability rates and eight times the amount of asthma. In the last six weeks, we’ve had three young people in their 40s and 50s die from heart attacks. This is alarming and must be addressed.”

Looking toward next steps, she said, “The way forward is through incorporation,” which would mean that Marin City would have its own elected leadership to find solutions that determine the future of the community.

This is the first in a series of articles on Marin City, examining conditions in the community and interviewing both community members and public officials.